This is Murder Part 2: Aftermath
by Seal Pup
Summary: The sequel to This is Murder where the gang travel to Austraila to visit Velma's cousin unknowing of the danger that awaits them. Please notice the new rating as there is some violence in later chapters.
1. Forward

**This is Murder Part 2: Aftermath**

**A/N: That's right. Finally, part two of a very long murder. Sorry if the ending of part one seems a bit rushed but it was only the hook into this story. (I also hate ending things). I hope you enjoy this as much as you did the last!**

Nearly a year had passed since Pam Ferret was convicted of her murder charges. The judge sentenced her to the electric chair. There was no appeal. As the date of execution approached, the Mystery Incorporated gang thought that things would return to normal. All, that is, except for Velma.

True, her physical wounds had healed. However, her mental scars lasted what seemed forever. The words of Pam's threat echoes throughout her mind causing more pain. "_I'll get you for this, Velma Dinkley and all your pretty little friends too!_"

Pam's execution day came and went. Unfortunately, this did not appear to alter Velma's mental state.

During this time, other mysteries were solved and Velma acted normally. It just seemed that during the typical days of relaxation that a cloud of depression seemed to hang over her.

This was all about to change though, with a simple e-mail from a cousin.


	2. The Invitation

It is a typical day late summer day at the Mystery Inc. headquarters. Scooby and Shaggy are in the kitchen, as usual conjuring up the newest recipes that would put the best chief to shame. Daphne and Fred explore through different magazines just to pass the time away and Velma at her laptop reading the newest on science and technology.

Just then, the computer produces a ding indicating a new e-mail. Velma gives a puzzled look as she opens the letter. Her puzzleness turns into a grin as she reads it. It is from her cousin in Australia.

"Jinkies!" exclaims Velma.

The others quickly stop what they are doing and inquire what the excitement is all about.

"You remember my cousin Thelma don't you?" Velma explains.

"She is the Egyptologist, right?" Fred jogs his memory.

"Correct." Is the reply, "She got married and settled down oh, about three, four years ago to an Australian."

"What does she say?" Daphne eagerly asks.

"Here, I'll read it to you." Is the prompt reply, "

_Hi Velma,_

_I know it has been a while since we have last seen each other but after hearing that you and the gang have time to spare of the mystery business, I was wondering if you and your friends would want to come down to the farm for a visit. With spring approaching, the country would be an ideal place for a vacation. Please reply soon._

_-Thelma_"

"So," Velma says looking up from her screen, "what do you guys think?"

"I for one," Shaggy's voice comes from the kitchen, "am, like, in favor of the motion."

"Re roo!" Scooby's paw goes up.

It is then left to Fred and Daphne who also agree on the trip. Even though it was their idea to e-mail Thelma in advance and suggest that she invite them over in order to help Velma.

Velma gives a smile and instantly sends a reply message.

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It is weeks later that the gang embark on their trip.

"You said that your cousin is going to meet us at the airport, right Velma?" Fred clarifies as he drives the Mystery Machine to the Coolsville Airport.

"Yes." Is the reply.

"Like, does Thelma have any kids?" Shaggy asks trying to bring up a conversation in the near-dead silent van.

"Of coarse." Velma smiles, "Twins actually. I haven't seen those two in quite a while."

"What are their names?" Daphne inquires.

"Jack and Jill." Velma chuckles, "Menaces to the world of science of there ever was one. Those two conduct experiment that would make Frankenstein appear like an average family doctor."

"That bad, huh?" smiles Fred.

"Not really, I just give them too much credit." Velma replies with a laugh, "Believe me, I hade no idea that second cousins could be so much trouble until those two came along!"

After a while, the conversation dies down and the van returns to silence for the rest of the trip.

While Fred goes to park the Mystery Machine, the others make their way into the airport to receive their tickets. Fred joins them later.

As Fred gets his tickets, Daphne notices from the corner of her eye a midget dressed in a gray trench coat with the collar up in a hooded manor as to conceal the person's face along with a large pair of dark sunglasses. The only baggage carried is a knapsack and a small wrapped package. She directs Velma's attention to the mysterious person.

"I fail to see what your point is, Daphne." Velma whispers back.

"Well, doesn't it seem a bit awkward that a person should dress like that and carry only a small amount of luggage?" is the blunt reply.

"Haven't you ever thought that that person is possibly just one of those collage students traveling?" Velma's logical reasoning fires back, "or just a kid flying alone?"

"Maybe so," the other says in a concerned voice, "but do you have the feeling that you are being watched by a person to is not doing a very good job of concealing that fact?"

"Yeah," Velma gives in, "look, if that person so happens to board the same flight as us, then there may be good reason to worry. But for now, lets get to our boarding platform and join the guys."

With that, the two girls put their mysterious 'watcher' a the back of their minds and rejoined their companions.

"It's about time you girls came along." Teases Fred, "We thought we would have to leave with out you!"

"Very funny." Daphne shoots back in a sarcastic tone.

Velma looks around. "Where is Scooby?" she asks.

"He already left in his crate." Shaggy replies.

"I do hope he will be all right." Ponders Daphne.

"Don't worry." Comforts the beatnik, "I gave him food and Scooby Snacks."

"Let's just be glad he doesn't get air sickness." Velma chuckles.

Suddenly, the intercom turns on to announce that their flight is boarding. As the gang lines up with their boarding passes, Daphne notices the same mysterious person from when they arrived.

Velma notices this to. She leans over to Daphne and whispers, "I think now may be a good time to worry."


	3. The Aussies of the Family

Shots ring through the black, moonless night as Velma runs down a dark alley and dodges behind a pile of boxes. "Don't you think I can't see you!" a woman's voice yells out, "You stand a better chance if you just come out!"

Velma does not reply as she crouches lower. "I hope the rest of the gang is okay." She mutters to herself.

"I heard you!" the other voice shrills.

Velma slowly inches her way in the shadows towards the alley entrance to the street. Suddenly, a bang from a gun is heard. Velma cries out in pain as she falls helplessly to the pavement. In the foggy darkness, she can hear footsteps coming towards her. Grabbing her flashlight, she beams the light into her attacker's face to reveal Pam Ferret in her zombified body. Velma screams as she backs off, however, she is unaware of the open manhole behind her and falls through to the sewer below.

In the damp darkness, she feels hands grabbing her by the arm and gently shaking her while calling her name.

Velma jolts as she wakes up to find herself in her seat with Daphne sitting beside her with a worried look on her face.

"What is it, Daph?" Velma breaks the silence.

"You were yelling in your sleep." Is the straightforward reply, "Again."

"Is that all?" the other yawns.

"Come on, Velma." Daphne says in a straight tone, "Something is the matter. Now, what is it?"

Velma does not answer. Instead, she turns to look out the window in ignorance.

"It's about Pam, isn't it?" the other persists.

There is still no response.

"For crying out loud, Velma. You can not confine your fears to yourself for ever!"

Velma remains in her ignoring state.

"Look," Daphne continues, "you can tell me. The boys don't have to know. In fact, they're sleeping right now." She moves a little to show Fred and Shaggy laying down flat covered from head to toe in their blankets.

Velma gives a little grin as she turns back to face Daphne. "You are right when you say that it does concern Pam." She begins.

"But I don't understand," the other girl questions, "Pam's dead. What do you fear from her?"

"You know of you vow against me." Is the response.

"You don't honestly think that it will happen."

"You didn't know Pam like I did." Explains Velma, "She was a woman of her word—if she claims that she will have her revenge on me, she will find some way of making it happen."

"Can you really make an actualization from one encounter?" Daphne asks to bring out Velma's side of reason.

"Bullet wounds say a lot, Daph." Is the response, "You wouldn't shoot at a person for nothing, right?"

"I would suppose not." The other gives in.

For the rest of the journey, Daphne and the others leave Velma alone about the matter. Thus, resulting in a very quiet atmosphere as the other passengers sleep, watch or listen to movies. Hours later, the plane lands in its destined airport.

As the gang make their way down the tunnel bridging the aircraft to the airport, they cannot help but squint from the brightness of the building.

While they claim their baggage, Fred notices the mysterious person who the girls had seen back in Coolsville and point it out to the others.

"I didn't know you two noticed the same person." Daphne questions.

"We did." Replies Shaggy, "We just didn't want to alert you."

"It seems as if your attempt was all in vain." Velma indicates.

"Velma!" a voice call out from the crowd distracting the gang's conversation.

Velma, being caught off guard, instantly turns around. Upon eyeing her greeter, a grin comes to her face. There stands a woman who looks almost exactly like her. Her hair is about shoulder length. She has on a pair of glasses with free-sanding frames and is dressed in a light spring jacket, jeans and sneakers. "Thelma!" Velma chuckles as the two cousins embrace each other in a hug, "I should have known that it would be you."

"Were you expecting anyone else?" the Aussie winks.

"Good point, you have always had a knack on sneaking up on people like that." Velma contemplates.

"Sneaking? Who's sneaking?" chuckles the other, "You were facing the other way."

"Right." Velma gives in, "Uh, Thelma, I'm sure you remember the gang."

"How could I forget?" jokes Thelma.

"Sorry to break up this happy reunion," Shaggy breaks in, "but I better, like, pick up Scooby."

"No need to." Thelma stops Shaggy, "I got him for you."

"Where is he now?" Fred asks looking past Thelma.

Thelma turns around with the look of worry. "Oh no." she mutters, "He was with me a little while ago."

"We better find him." Proposes Daphne, "Otherwise, he may eat the entire food court."

"Has it happened before?"

"Not exactly," assures Velma, "but close to it."

Fred steps forward to lead the group, "We better go find him."

"No need to." Velma points out, "Here he comes now." Everyone turns to look as Scooby dashes down the hallway followed by security guards and other people.

"Raggy, relp!" the Great Dane yelps as he jumps into Shaggy's arms.

"Is this yur dog?" one security guard asks in a strong Australian accent.

"Like, y-yes, mate." Stutters the beatnik.

"Yur dog nearly devoured the entire food court. I'll let you go this time but let me give you a bit of advice." Continues the guard, "Next time, have better control on yer pooch or keep 'im on a lead." With that, the guard and the others resume their regular tasks.

"Lead?" echoes Shaggy in confusion.

"Leash." Thelma explains. She looks at her watch then at the gang. "If you are all ready," she says, "I guess we can head on over to the car." She then turns to lead the way as the others follow.

Over in the parking lot, the gang loads their luggage into Thelma's car trunk. As they prepare to leave, Fred notices out of the corner of his eye their mysterious follower hire a taxi. He cautiously alerts the others who, in turn, become very careful on their actions in observing the person. As Thelma pulls out of the lot, she looks out her rearview mirror to observe the taxi following them.

In an attempt to divert her companion's attention, Velma inquires, "How are the twins doing?"

"Just fine." Is Thelma's reply, "They can't wait to see you."

"Do they have any hobbies?" Fred joins in.

"Well, both are interested in science." Is the reply, "Jack is the chemist while Jill is still trying to discover her major."

"Like, what was that, again?" asks Shaggy puzzled, "I got it that Jack is a chemist and what is Jill?"

"Jill is trying to figure out which area of science she is going to study in." grins Velma.

"Yes," Jokes Thelma, "and you giving them that Encyclopedia of the Sciences not only broadened both of them in the subject but has caused havoc in the entire town."

"I plead guilty as charged."

Laughter and chuckles are heard in the back.

"It's so nice to hear cousins talking about their problems." Chuckles Daphne.

"But I suppose you have heard about Jill's new pastime." Thelma turns to a serious note.

"You mean exploring that new cave Jack found?" Velma asks.

"No, that was last time. She has turned to computer hacking."

"When did this start?"

"Some time ago."

"Velma," Fred smiles, "I think your little cousin better find her major soon; otherwise, the earth may become a very dangerous place!"

"It already is." Thelma shoots back.

While driving down the country main roads, everyone keeps a close eye on their follower. Suddenly, the taxi takes a sharp turn down a dusty side road.

"Thelma," Fred asks, "where does that road lead to?"

"Near the old creek and a deserted part of town." Is the reply, "The only thing that area is good for is cattle grazing."

As the ride progresses, Scooby's stomach begins to asks the timeless question of 'are we there yet?'

"Raggy," Scooby pulls on Shaggy's sleeve, "ri'm rungry."

"So am I, good buddy." Shaggy comforts the pooch.

"Don't worry, you two." Thelma calls from the front, "We will be home soon."

"Like, how soon?"

"Very soon." Smiles Velma as the car turns into a long driveway.

"Like, how soon?" Shaggy persists.

"Very soon."

"Like, how soon?"

"Very soon."

"Like, how soon?"

"Right now." Velma grins as Thelma pulls up in front of a large farmhouse.

"Like, how soon is that?" the shaggy-haired man yells. He then stops to think on what Velma had just told him then hears laughter from the other. "Very funny." Shaggy grins, "I, like, meant to do that."

"Really!" snickers Scooby as Shaggy feels his face grow red.

His embarrassment is relieved by the joyful calls of children. Shaggy looks at the front door to observe two children, a boy and a girl, running up to Velma. The boy has wavy golden-brown locks to accommodate his gray eyes. The girl following him looks almost exactly like him in every respect with the exception of shoulder length hair and bearing a pair of thin wire-frame glasses. Both are dressed in sweaters, jeans and sneakers. As they reach the visitors, they both pounce on Velma nearly bring her to the ground.

"Easy, you two rascals." Velma grins as she pushes the children off her.

"So this must be Jack and Jill." Daphne chuckles as she shakes the twin's hands.

"Exactly." Jack speaks up in his Australian accent, "You must be Daphne."

"And the rest of you are Fred, Shaggy and Scooby." Finishes Jill pointing out each of the others.

"Very good." Applauds Freddie, "Besides the fact that we have met before."

"True." The girl responds, "But only for a brief period of which we did not achieve a required amount of time of which to formally become acquainted."

"My dear sister is referring to our brief encounter last Christmas when you received a flat tire." Explains Jack.

"Uh, Velma," Daphne whispers, "how old exactly are those two?"

"Four." is the reply, "Soon to be five."

"Velma," a brown-haired man calls in a strong native accent from the front porch, "how good to see you again."

"And the same here, Jesse." Velma calls back.

"Honey," Thelma pleas to her husband, "why don't you come and help with the baggage?"

"Sure thing." Jesse replies. He walks over to the car gives Velma a hug and helps Fred and Shaggy take the suitcases out of the trunk.

"It is so beautiful here." Comments Daphne as she pulls out her camera.

"We like it." Jokes Thelma, "Come on, I'll show you around."

"What about the guys?" asks Velma.

"I'm sure they'll manage."

With that, the three of them disappear around back followed by the twins.

"Here is the barnyard." Thelma points out an open space with pens full of chickens, pigs and other forms small of livestock. "There are another pens for horses and cattle on the other side of the barn."

"This is amazing." Daphne smiles as she takes snapshots of everything.

"Care to look in the barn?" offers Thelma.

"Yeah, why don't you do that." Jill pushes as she shifts her eyes to a small figure behind some nearby bushes signaling to her.

"Why not." Smiles Velma.

As the ladies walk inside the barn, Jill whispers to her brother, "Try to keep them busy for as long as possible until I give the signal."

Jack just nods and runs into the barn. At the same time, Jill dashes behind the bushes to join the gang's mysterious person. After making sure that the coast is clear, Jill turns to the stranger and asks, "So, how did it go?"

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took quite a while butI have been rather busy. What are the twins up to? I can't tell you without giving the story away so keep reading and reviewing!**


	4. Getting Prepared

"I think I may have been spotted." Is the reply, "What am I going to do if I get caught?"

"Let me worry about that." Jill answers, "Did you bring it?"

"Yeah, it's right here." The other pulls out a wrapped box and hands it to Jill. "Where am I going to stay in the meantime?"

"In the hayloft." Jill replies inspecting the box's contents of a miniature Mystery Machine and an old camera remote control.

"And my meals?"

"I can arrange it for you to get some leftovers."

"For a whole week!"

"You have any better suggestions?"

"Why do I always have to listen to your crazy ideas?" the other sulks.

"Because you're to soft and submissive to refuse." Jill replies, "Besides, my ideas are always better than yours."

The other sighs then brings forth the question, "What about my parents?"

"What about them?"

"I told them that I was going to stay with Grandma." Is the reply, "And if they found out that I lied to them, I could be in a lot of trouble."

"That's one thing I like about you," Jill grins, "you are always so honest. As I said, let me handle it." Jill looks at her watch then instructs, "You better wait here. I'll have Jack get everyone out of the barn so you can settle down."

The other makes a face of worry.

"Don't fret." Jill comforts, "Everything will be just fine." She then leaves from her hiding place and runs to the barn door. There, she imitates the squealing of a pig then runs off. Shortly after, Jack appears in the barn door followed by his mom, Velma and Daphne.

"Well, that was an interesting tour of the barn, Jack." Daphne smiles as she pulls pieces of straw out of her hair and clothing.

"My pleasure." The boy grins.

"I suppose I better be getting lunch ready." Thelma says as they walk towards the house.

"Mind of we help?" Velma offers.

"That would be just great."

Jack joins his sister. "When do you think it is going to happen?" he asks.

"According to the e-mails," whispers Jill, "it should be soon."

Jack takes in a deep breath, "That means we are going to act fast."

"Yes, but we're almost ready. I just need one last thing."

"You better get it quick and check for any new information."

Jill gives her brother a wink as an 'okay' signal and runs off into the house.

"Scooby! Shaggy!" Thelma exclaims as she opens the kitchen door. There stand Scooby and Shaggy snacking down on cookies, crackers and other snack foods. Daphne and Velma run in.

"Is there anything left?" Daphne asks wide-eyed.

"Just the cupboards, pots, pans, dishes…" Shaggy replies, "yeah, that and other things like that." Scooby nods in agreement.

"You can not be serious." Thelma threatens.

"If I know those two well enough," Velma replies, "they are."

Suddenly, Shaggy and Scooby break out into laughter. "I can't believe you guys believed me!" chuckles Shaggy, "Scooby and me just finished off the cookies and chips. We just started on these other things."

"That's a relief." Sighs Thelma. She looks around, "Where's Jesse?" she asks, "He promised me he would get some ham out of the smokehouse."

"He and Fred went over to see Sid." Is the reply, "They received some call about some, like, disturbance."

"Who's Sid?" Daphne inquires.

"An old childhood friend of my Jesse's father." Is the reply, "He is a nice old fellow, he just sometimes get a little irritated now and then."

"What's been bugging him lately?" Velma asks.

"I don't know." Thelma answers, "All he has been talking about is some large animal roaming around. Jesse believes it is an overgrown kangaroo."

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"I'm telling ya, young Jess," an elderly old man yells as he pokes his cane at Fred and Jesse, "strange things is a happening here."

"Honestly, Sid." Jesse tries to reason, "Why get so upset over what is undoubtedly a kangaroo that is a giant among kangaroos?"

"Ya telling me I need glasses?" sneers Sid.

"In a polite way, yes."

"Well, shut up yer politeness and do something about that critter or I may take the gun to 'im." Sid hollers grabbing his trusty riffle nearby.

"Why don't you have a talk with the rangers?" suggests Fred.

"Yer not from around here are you, boy?" Sid asks looking at Fred.

Fred shakes his head.

"I didn't think so." Smiles Sid, "Those rangers are slow do any dagnabit thing. That's why I ask Jess here."

"Okay," Jesse gives in, "just sit tight. I'll round up some of the guys together and we'll have a hunting party."

"Now, that sounds nice." Comments the elderly gentleman as he rubs his riffle barrow with a cleaning cloth.

"Then it's settled." Jesse rubs his hands together, "I'll bring along the boys tomorrow."

"Just boys?" Sid asks a little disappointed then he winks, "Don't forget the ladies and those nice little youngsters of yours."

"Bye, Sid." Jesse laughs, waving goodbye.

Jesse and Fred turn to leave.

"Does Sid usually act that way?" Fred questions as he and Jesse drive back to the farm.

Jesse lets out a little chuckle. "No, he just does that to make him feel young."

"Is what he said about the rangers true?" the other continues.

Jesse shakes his head, "The rangers in these parts are quite diligent. It's just when Sid gets riled up that they want to stay as far away from him as possible." He then smiles, "Which is why I'm stuck with him."

Fred joins into the laughter.

Over at the farm, Thelma, Velma and Daphne are busy preparing lunch while Shaggy and Scooby help in what ever way they can. Which, is mostly, tasting the food to see if it is any good.

"Like, Scoob," Shaggy says as he hands a freshly peeled potato to the canine, "taste at these potatoes! Have you ever tasted anything like them in your entire life?"

Scooby takes a huge bite out if is then replies with his full mouth, "Ruh-uh." Scooby licks his lips.

"Okay," Thelma chuckles, "you two better cut it out or you will not have any room for your lunch."

"You ever filled a bottomless pit?" grins Velma.

Her cousin contradicts, "Velma, you know that there is no such thing."

"Oh, yeah?" chuckles Daphne, "Well, with these two, there is."

"Like Scooby and I have the most bottomless stomachs in the world!" boasts Shaggy.

"Shaggy, you are so modest." Fred's voice comes from the doorway. Everyone turns to see Fred and Jesse walk in.

"How was your drive?" inquires Daphne.

"Quite nice."

"What did Sid want?" Thelma asks.

"The usual." Replies her husband, "I told him I would get some of the boys together to hunt it." He then leans down to take off his boots. Thelma quickly stops him by the reminder of the ham. Jesse then refastens his shoes and runs outside.

"Jill?" Jack calls into his sister's bedroom.

"What is it?" the other snaps back, "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Did you find out when it is going to happen?"

"No absolute date." Is the reply, "But it should be within the next few days."

"How about the missing items?"

Jill hands Jack a piece of paper with a short list. "Why do I have to get them?" Jack pouts.

"You know how good of a thief you are." Is the reply.

Jack makes a face as he leaves. "Sisters." He mutters.

"Brothers." Jill rolls her eyes.

Jack quietly sneaks into the guest rooms. Each of the suitcases are on the floor. "Good," he says to himself, "they haven't unpacked yet." He looks at the list. "From each of the following, get an object which DNA can be abstracted and a set of clothing." Jack looks up the list in thought, "That doesn't seem so hard." He quickly folds the list and places it in his pocket as he opens the first case.

"Jack, Jill!" Thelma calls up the stairs, "Come and get it!"

Jack peers into the hallway. "Is the coast clear?" he asks.

Jill looks around then nods. Jack, in turn, runs down the hall his arms full with clothes and dashes into Jill's room. "Where do I put this stuff?" he asks.

"Under my bed." Is the rushed reply, "Did you get everything?"

"Yup, except for the glasses."

Jill grins, "I'll have to pick some pockets then."

"Are you two coming?" a voice comes from the bottom of the stairs.

"We'll be right there, Mom." Jack calls out as he and Jill race down the staircase.

**A/N: I'll try to update soon. In the meantime, you readers read and review!**


	5. Unexpected New Visitor

"What's for lunch?" Jill asks as she and Jack run into the dinning room.

"You mean 'what was for lunch." Corrects Shaggy.

"Huh?"

Shaggy lets out a loud chuckle, "Like, just kidding, man!"

The twins let out a sigh of relief. They then sit in the two empty chairs at the end of the table between Fred and Shaggy to enjoy a cold lunch of smoked ham, potato salad and various vegetables.

As the meal progresses, Velma's curiosity is aroused. "So," she smiles, "what have you two trouble-makers been up to?"

"Nothing." Is Jill's immediate response, trying to make an innocent smile. Jack quickly nods his head in agreement. The adults chuckle while the twins look at each other in confusion.

"I'm sorry." Jack says, confused, "But, Jill and I fail to comprehend your little joke."

"No need to pretend." Velma explains, setting down her fork, "We all know that when you become secretive and have a tendency to disappear a lot, there is usually something going on."

"Well," Jill clears her throat, "we are working on some experiments." She elbows her brother, "Right?"

Jack, in turn, quickly nods in agreement.

"Can't you tell us what it is?" asks Fred.

The twins shake their heads in unison.

"Is it at least legal?" Jesse asks in a concerned voice.

"Dad," objects Jack, "have we ever done _anything_ illegal?"

"Well," his father replies, "now that you mention it—"

"That virus ordeal was an accident!" Jill stammers causing the others to jump. She notices the other's startled expressions and turns to a softer tone. Clearing her throat, she continues, "I just hit a few wrong buttons and commands while creating that new online computer program."

"Well, that at least solves the mystery on how that happened." Smiles Thelma.

The two children slump down in their chairs. "Somehow I don't think this is our day." Jack mutters to his twin.

After lunch, Scooby and Shaggy volunteer for dishwashing while Fred helps Jesse feed the animals and the twins run off to attend to their chores. Leaving Thelma, Daphne and Velma some free time for talking.

"Did you find anything?" Jack asks in a low voice as he sweeps the front porch.

"Nothing yet." Jill replies, "Are you sure you checked all of Fred's pockets?"

Jack nods his head.

Jill then notices Velma coming out of the kitchen with a dog bowl in hand and heading towards the front door. "Give me the broom." Instructs Jill. Jack hesitates then obeys and watches his sister as she sweeps the porch while walking backwards. Just then, the door opens and Velma steps out just as Jill walks into her. The result is a near porch-size plate for the family dog.

"Watch where you're sweeping!" scolds Velma picking out some of the bits of food off her sweater.

"Sorry." Apologizes the girl as she brushes off her cousin.

"All right." Grins Velma. "Here," she says as she hands the bowl the younger, "your mom asked me to feed Bingo, but I can't find him anywhere. Maybe you will have better luck than me."

Jill smiles. "Sure thing." She takes the dish with both hands, "He's making sure that no one gets our new piglets."

Velma gives a puzzled look.

"There have been several reports of livestock being stolen." Jack explains, "Most of the time, it's the young ones that end up missing."

As Velma returns to the others inside, Jack turns to his sister. "Anything?" he inquires.

"Her pockets are empty…" is the reply. Jill's face then displays a grin, "because I emptied them." She then sets down on the rail a red-orange wallet and key chain along with a red hard glass case. Jack quickly grabs the case and opens it.

"Sunglasses." He moans. He takes them, out look at then and put them on. "Prescribed at that." He takes them off and place them back in the case.

"So that means Daphne has them." Concludes Jill.

"That's impossible." Contradicts her brother, "Daphne places everything in her purse and I looked all through it."

"That's because you don't know where to look."

Jack looks confused. Jill looks back at him little annoyed.

"Look," Jill sighs, handing the dish to Jack, "you feed Bingo and I'll look."

Jack shakes his head, shrugs and heads towards the pigpen as Jill enters the house.

As Jill walks towards the staircase she is stopped by a cry from the kitchen of Scooby and Shaggy. Moments later the barging of the two from the kitchen doors to the staircase, which they feel is the only place or refuge.

"What's the matter?" Daphne asks as she and the Dinkley cousins come running out of the den.

"Talking…kitchen…dingo!" is all that Shaggy is able to say.

"What?" the girls ask confused.

"Like, there's a dingo in the kitchen!" Shaggy finally phrases.

"Rand ralks roo!" Continues Scooby.

"Dingo?" ponders Jill, "You must mean _Bingo_."

"Bingo?" echo the two scared boys.

"Sure." Explains Jill, "Bingo, my dingo."

"Hey, Jill." A young male voice comes from the way of the kitchen, "Where's my lunch, I'm starving."

"Jack took it over to the barn." The girl explains, "We thought you were still there."

"Well, it turns out I'm not." Bingo says as he walks towards them.

Scooby and Shaggy slowly inch their way up the stairs as around the corner appears a near full-grown fawn dingo. Bingo then turns his head to face whom he had scared out of the kitchen. "I'm sorry for scaring you fellows that way." He apologizes politely, "Don't worry, many people have been frightened by my speaking abilities and the fact that I'm a dingo."

"Like, apology accepted." Smiles the beatnik as he and his dog come down the stairs.

"So, you are Bingo." Grins Velma, "All I have ever seen of you is a picture of a month old puppy."

"Well, of coarse," jokes the dingo, "I have grown since then."

"One question though," asks Shaggy, "How did you learn to talk?"

Bingo looks down at his paws in embarrassment.

"Maybe I should explain." Offers Jill, "Bingo is one of Jack's many experiments. His ability to talk is the result of a solution that Jack concocted to mutate Bingo's genetic makeup of his larynx to allow him to produce, and understand, human sounds as well as his original dingo communication."

Shaggy looks at Scooby, who follows suit. "Like, did you get any of that?" he asks.

The Great Dane shakes his head in reply.

"I can understand your confusion." Laughs Jack as he comes in the front door with the dog bowl in hand.

"Finally!" Bingo jumps for joy as he runs up to Jack and licks him of the face. In return, he gets his meal. He then happily carries it to the kitchen.

"If you understand our confusion," says Daphne, "them maybe you can tell us what she said."

"Well," replies the boy in a sophisticated tone, "what I gave Bingo is a mixture of different elements to change his DNA, thus effecting his voice box. Therefore, he can talk like any other person and 'dingo."

"Yeah," Jill speaks up, "exactly what I said."

"Interesting." Remarks Velma.

"Yes, very." Thelma smiles. "He makes excellent conversation while the others are out."

"Well, I do that to Scoob all the time." Shaggy chuckles.

Just then, Fred and Jesse come in from the back.

"I see that Bingo has _finally_ had his lunch." Jesse remarks, ruffling Jack's hair. He nods in reply.

"Jesse was talking to me about taking a ride down the countryside to check on the sheep in the back pasture and asked whether we wanted to come," Fred starts, walking up to the rest of the gang, "I was looking around, it's awful pretty."

"I, for one, would love to, Freddy!" Daphne exclaims, happily.

"I'll go too," Velma says, "If not only for the agriculture."

Suddenly, the door to the kitchen opens as Bingo walks out licking off crumbs of his meal from his whiskers and waging his tail. He barks happily then trots up to Scooby. "Hey Scoobert," he suggests, "how 'bout you coming with me and I'll show you my favorite bones! Man are they tasty!"

"Like, shouldn't that be: 'Dog, are they tasty'?" Shaggy cuts in.

Bingo looks at him, confused then smiles. "How about it, Scoob?" he repeats his offer.

Scooby thinks for a while then licks his chops, "Reah! Reah!"

Everyone laughs as Scooby and Bingo head out to the front yard followed by the humans minus Jill, who goes to the room in which Daphne and Velma are sharing.

Upon finding Daphne's purse, she then proceeds to search among its contents. Jill then notices a small hidden zipped pouch in the lining. Amongst the usual contents of various makeup contents she finds a small soft glass case. The girl grins as she pulls it out and opens it. Sure enough, it contains a small pair of Velma's glasses. Jill quickly puts then back in the case and stashes it with the pile of clothes under her bed. In exchange, she grabs a light jacket. She quickly dashes out the door to join the others.

Upon joining everyone in the stable, she is confronted by the question of "What took you so long?"

"I was feeling a little cold." She lies, "So I ran up to my room to get a jacket."

The adults do not wish to question any further and mount their horses. As they leave for the bridal path with Scooby and Bingo running along side, Jack and Jill fall behind so as they can talk in privacy.

"I found the glasses." Jill says.

"That's a relief." Smiles Jack, "I thought we would have to make them ourselves."

Jill grins slightly.

"Did you have enough time to get onto your computer?" asks the other.

"No. I shall do it tonight after everyone is in bed; less distractions that way."

"Good." Jack takes a deep breath, "How do you expect to escape detection? What if mom and dad find out?"

Jill smiles, "My dear brother," she giggles, "you do so trouble so." She then kicks her horse slightly and moves ahead leaving Jack behind.

As the party progresses, Shaggy asks "Do you think we will come across that kangaroo like dude out here?"

Thelma and Jesse snicker. "I doubt it." Replies Jesse, "Not many animals hang around this area."

Feeling a sense of relief, Shaggy leans back and enjoys the ride. Looking in the far corner of his eye, he sees Scooby and Bingo playing around in the dirt.

"Here ya go." Bingo grins tossing a dusty bone at Scooby-Doo's paws, "This one is one of my personal favorites."

"Rounds rummy." The Great Dane licks his lips. He takes a lick and chews on it a little.

"'ow is it, mate?" Bingo seeks his guest's approval.

"Relicious!" laughs the other dog.

Bingo smiles. He moves off to another area a few feet away from Scooby and begins to dig. Moments later he appears with a few other bones.

"Those two will make a nice shot." Remarks Daphne pulling out her camera.

"It's good to see Scooby and Bingo getting along." Laughs Fred.

"Bingo usually gets well with other animals." Explains Jack, "Wildlife is like a hobby to him."

"As if he is not one all ready!" Jill jokes.

"Either that, or Bingo is trying to go back to his domesticated ancestors." offers Velma.

"Hang on, guys." Daphne says looking through her camera lens, "There's something big in the bushes."

"It could be anything." Thelma says opening up a pair of binoculars with a big smile. "Who knows, we may be lucky today and see some wildlife." Her smile quickly fades. "Jesse," she says handing the glasses to her husband, "you better take a look."

Jesse quickly grabs the binoculars from his wife and looks in the area she is directing.

"What is it, man?" asks Shaggy.

"I'm not sure..." Is the reply. Jesse quickly adjusts the glasses. As he peers out he says, "It's no creature I'm familiar with."

Fred quickly grabs Daphne's camera and looks at the picture. "It looks like a kangaroo." He says.

"That's no kangaroo!" objects Jesse, "It's too big and has sharp teeth and…horns and scales?"

"Like don't tell me what it is man," Shaggy hesitates. "Scooby-Doo!" he yells, "Get away from there!"

"Shaggy!" the others try to stop him, "Don't! You'll scare it!"

"Too late." points out Fred "Look!" he points to the charging creature.

"Scooby!" Shaggy yells again.

Scooby finally hears his master's plea and looks up. A "relp" comes to his lips.

"Scooby run!" Bingo instructs, as he runs towards the charging creature.

Scooby quickly does so joining the others and leaving Bingo to fend for himself. The dingo quickly crouches into an attacking position.

"We better go help him." Jesse says tossing his binoculars to Fred. He quickly bolts his horse into full gallop followed closely by Shaggy.

Shaggy, thinking quickly, grabs the rope on his saddle. Quickly making a lasso, he ropes the strange animal around the neck as it jumps upon Bingo brings it to the ground. Bingo quickly gets up and backs off.

The strange kangaroo quickly untangles itself and runs off.

"What the heck was that?" Bingo asks, shaking himself off.

"I don't know." replies Jesse, "C'mon; let's see if we can find it."

"Like, do we _have_ to?" asks a quaky Shaggy.

"Don't you want to know what it was?" asked the other.

Shaggy shook his head, "No."

"Wimp" chuckles Bingo.

Shaggy turns to the Dingo. "Like, compliments will get you no where, hound" he defends himself. "Remember, it wasn't curiosity that killed the human."

"Well, it didn't harm the dog either."

"All the same, I want to be safe."

By this time, the others had reunited with their companions.

"What was it?" asks Fred.

"You don't want to know!" Shaggy answers.

"Really?" the twins perk up, "Was it really that horrible?"

"Ruh huh" answered the Great Dane.

"Sweet!" smiled the siblings.

"Don't bother chasing after it now" Jesse says searching around with the binoculars, "What ever it was, it's gone now."

Thelma glances at her watch. "We better start heading back" she says, "It will soon be time for supper."

As the party progress back to the farm, each exposed their own theory on what the strange creature would have been. Suddenly, the horses become startled by brush in the bushes.

"Well," smiles Daphne, pulling out her camera, "we may be able to see some animals after all!" As she looks around in the distance, the others inquire about what she sees. "I don't believe it" is the reply, "It's the same person we saw at the airport."

"You mean the one who was following us?" asks Fred.

"The very same."

"Who ever it is, their trespassing" Jesse squints his eyes, "Let's see if we can catch up with 'im."

"That may not be a good idea" Jack says with a shaky voice.

Everyone dismisses Jack's words of cowardliness and continued to proceed to pursue the strange being. After searching for a while, they come across what they believe to be creature. Just as they begin to run after it, the figure jolts into the bushes and becomes entangled in the branches.

Upon reaching the pursued, the pursuers release their prisoner from the entanglement of twigs.

"Now, let's see who our little trespasser is." Jesse says removing the hood from the small person.

Upon viewing the face, Velma, Thelma, and Jesse exclaim in surprise, "Sarah?"

**A/N: Sorry for the long time to update, but I have been very busy lately. Hopefully, the next update will be a lot sooner.**


	6. What is Going On?

Sarah gives a slight grin and tries to add some humor to her embarrassing situation. "Hello, Uncle Jesse, Aunt Thelma, Velma."

"Aww," Daphne smiles to Velma, "she calls you 'Velma".

"Yes," Velma replies with a highly sarcastic tone, "how terribly informal we are."

"Thelma, your brother said nothing about Sarah coming" Jesse asks his puzzled wife.

"Nobody knows that I'm here." Sarah quickly says.

"You mean you just snuck off half-way across the world?" scolds Velma.

"Yeah!" smiles the girl, "Funny, isn't it?"

"Not very funny once your father finds out" threatens Jesse.

Daphne glances at Jack and Jill staring into space with pale faces. "Why is it that I have this feeling you two were involved?" she asks them.

The attention is then directed into the position of the bother and sister.

"Well, we may know something." Jack breaks the silence.

"Uh huh," Jesse takes an authoritative voice, "let's all settle this back home, it's starting to get late."

Sarah jumps on behind her uncle as the group heads back to the farm.

Once inside, Jill manages to whisper to her cousin, "No matter what, just name, rank and serial number. No more, if you can get less the better."

"Then they are going to have to settle with less." The other girl replies, "I only know my name as to rank and serial number, I don't think I have one."

"Well, you get my drift."

The other nods as they and Jack are confronted in the living room by the family elders, mainly Jesse, Thelma and Velma.

"Now maybe it is time you guys give a few explanations." Thelma opens up the floor.

Jack and Sarah both look to Jill as their spokesperson. Feeling their incentive, Jill quickly starts. "It's like this," she begins, "Jack and I have felt that it had been sometime since Sarah had visited us and vice versa. Keeping that in mind, and knowing that Uncle Steve and Aunt Carol would be working in the Caribbean for the next month or two we figured that she could come down and visit; at least for a week."

"Uh huh" The adults say in disbelief.

Before someone can say anything more, the phone rings. Jesse walks over and answers it. "Hello?" he says politely. After having a brief "how are you doing?" with the caller, he hands the phone to Thelma saying, "It's your mother".

Hearing the news, the three children swallow hard.

Thelma picks up the receiver. "Hi, mom" she says. After a few words are heard from the earpiece, she replies, "Yes, she's here. Gave us all a bit of a surprise." More words are said then Thelma gives the phone to Sarah. "Grandma wants to speak with you" she cautions, "be careful what you say, she sounds mad."

Sarah's hands turn sweaty and shaky as he puts the receiver to her ear. "Hi, Grandma" she says in a choked voice.

"Hello, Deary" an elderly voice comes form the other end, "did you enjoy your flight down and scaring a poor old lady out of her wits?"

"Grandma sounds really mad—" Jack whispers to his sister, "insane mad!"

"Yes to the first part and no to the second part" is Sarah's reply.

"I am happy to hear that you feel that way" her grandmother continues, "I must say it was nice of you to leave that note telling me where you were going. Otherwise, I would have possibly caused such a ruckus over here."

"After hearing that," the girl smiles, "I'm glad I left that note too!"

"And according to that note," continues Grandma, "I understand that you won't be back until sometime next week."

"That's true."

"Well knowing that you are with Jesse and Thelma and the fact of the cost of airplane tickets for there and back, I'll let you stay."

Sarah lets out a sigh of relief.

"However," her grandmother continues, "after this little vacation of yours is over, you must come right home and be prepared for any punishment for your little stunt."

"Yes, Grandma." replies the child. She gives the phone to Thelma who talks for a while before hanging up.

"Apparently," she says, breaking a short silence, "you will be our guest for sometime, Sarah. Yet, I should inform you that during your time here you will be under constant probation. So, during your time here, you will be placed under the supervision of Velma."

Velma is shocked by the news. "Me?" she asks, "Why _me_?"

"Don't ask me," replies Thelma, "ask my mom. It was she who suggested it."

"Okay" Velma says, reluctantly.

Thelma directs her attention to her children. "Don't you two think that you will go unpunished" she says, "For the next month, you will be given a time limit on the Internet and TV, no more late nights you must be in bed by eight and no experiment conducting without our consent."

The twins groan at the news. As they leave the room, Jack whispers to Jill, "What are we going to do?"

"Pay no attention to what mom just said," is the reply, "everything is still on and will proceed according to plan. We'll just not tell mom and dad about what we're doing."

"What?" Jack asks drawn back, "Have you even thought what could happen if we didn't?"

"Have you thought about what would happen if we did?" the other pronounces logic.

Soon after, Jill helps her cousin settle down in her room. "Jack told me we are going to continue despite your parent's restrictions" Sarah says.

"That's right" confirmed the other.

"Are you insane?" Sarah exclaims to her younger cousin.

"Possibly"

For the rest of the afternoon, the three cousins play together in the playroom. After dinner, they are sent straight to bed while the others gather in the living room for coffee and other things.

"I don't understand what they may be trying to hide from us" Jesse says as he stirs his coffee.

"It could be a number of things" ponders Thelma. Her face instantly grows white as she grabs her husband's hand and asks, "You don't think they're experimenting with substances, do you?"

"Oh, honey," Jess consoles his wife, "I don't believe it has gone that far."

"I'm still wondering what was with that strange creature we saw" Daphne ponders.

"Yeah, I was looking through a few animal books earlier," continues Fred, "I couldn't find anything that looked liked it."

"I could have told you that it was no such animal," replies Jesse.

Their concentration was broken by a telephone call. Jesse walks over and answers. "It's for you" he says handing it to anyone of the gang. Fred steps up and takes it.

"Hello?" he says to the caller.

"You want some information about what you saw in the forest?" a strange, unfamiliar voice comes from the end of the line.

"Well, sure" replies Fred. He instantly signals to his companions to pick up another line. As they instantly do so, Fred continues, "What kind of information do you have to offer?"

"I can't tell you over the line" replies the voice, "but meet me tomorrow night at ten. Then, I'll tell you."

"Meet you where?"

"There's a small bar on the outskirts of town, about ten miles from the farm."

"Does this bar have a name?"

"There's only one in the entire area," the voice yells, frustrated, "if you can't find it, you're stupid."

"Okay, okay!" Fred backs off, "Ten it is, then."

Suddenly, the phone goes dead.

"He sounds like such a nice informer" Shaggy breaks the silence.

"Do you think he is legit?" Daphne asks.

"It's hard to say right off" replies Velma. "It's the only lead we have so far."

"But it just seems strange that someone would know about our seeing _it_" Daphne ponders, "and, for that matter, assume that we were even investigating it."

"I don't see how they could have known," Jesse interrupts their conversation, "that area is, as I said earlier, private property. If you do choose to take this guy up on his offer, I would advise you to be careful."

"I know it does sound a bit strange," concludes Freddie, "but, it shouldn't hurt to check it out."

The others agree as they retire for the night.

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I have been very busy. Please review!**


	7. Spiked Cola

As the morning sun arose, the children wake up early eager to start a new day of playing,whether it be games of jokes on others. They quickly run into the kitchen to find Thelma preparing breakfast.

"What's for breakfast, Mom?" Jack asks sitting at the table.

"What would you like?" replies his mother.

"Chicken tenders and fries!" smiles the boy.

"Not for breakfast," Thelma grins, "maybe for lunch but now, it will be bacon, eggs, pancakes and toast."

"That sounds good!" exclaims Jill as she and Sarah sit down next to Jack.

"Not so quickly, you three" Thelma instructs, "you have some time before breakfast is ready. Why don't you make the table first?"

The children look down at the bare table.

"We do not mind eating without plates, forks and knives" Jill speaks up.

"You may not" chuckles her mother, "but I'm sure everyone else would not." She reaches up into the cupboard and removes a stack of plates. Handing them to one of the children, she says "Now you have something to make yourselves busy."

"Mothers," moans Jill as she takes the plates, "they have to think of everything; including work to be done—by the kids of all people!"

While he places the forks and knives Jack says in bewilderment, "I don't remember signing a contract for this sort of work."

"Stop moping, you two" their mother hushes them

"That's what you get for living in the country" jokes Sarah.

"I'm sure in the city you have robots to do your work" the other fights back, "that's what we get for living in such a technological society."

"Something smells good in here" Velma says peering her head into the doorway.

"You're up early" Thelma says, giving her cousin a glass of milk.

"Yeah," replies the other, taking a sip, "I wanted to trace the call we received last night."

"Any luck?" inquires Sarah.

"You could say; the phone company told me that it came from one of the pay phones at the bar where we are supposed to go tonight."

"Oh, that reminds me:" Thelma speaks up, "will you and the gang be having dinner here or out?"

The other cousin takes a while to think if over before replying, "Here, I suppose, I'll have to check with the rest of the gang."

"Sure, just let me know."

Velma nods a "Don't worry" as she finishes her milk.

"Do you want to help us set the table?" Jack asks.

"Well, you three look like you are doing just fine by yourselves. Besides, I'm still a little tired, I'm afraid to break something."

"Your not the only one" yawns Shaggy as he and Scooby walk in. "Of course that can all be changed with just a few bites of..."

"Not yet" Thelma cuts him off.

"Kill joy" Shaggy sulks.

"Something smells good in here" Fred comes sniffing into the room.

"That's funny," smiles Velma, " I said the exact same thing."

"Morning, Fred" Thelma says as she places the cream and sugar on the table. "Coffee?"

"Yes, please" replies the blonde man.

"I'll have some too" a voice comes form the doorway.

"Morning, Jess" everyone greets.

"Jess," Fred says, "could you show me later where this bar is?"

"No problem," the other replies, preparing his coffee, "I'll show you right after lunch."

"Thanks."

Suddenly, an ear-pircing scream fils the whole house.

"What was that?" Velma exclaimes, getting up from her seat.

Seconds later, Daphne runs into the room.

"Daphne," asks a concerned Fred, "what's wrong?"

"Somebody, call the police!" Daphne screams.

"Don't tell us," Shaggy shutters as he and Scooby embrace eachother, "the place is, like, haunted."

"I wouldn't go _that_ far, Shaggy" Daphne replies, "only that I've been robbed."

"Robbed?" gasp the others.

Jack and Jill slouch slightly in their chairs to hide their guilt; luckily, for them, no one notices.

"What did they take?" inquires Jess.

"It's the most terrible and strangest thing," Daphne ponders, "clothes, they took clothes."

"Maybe the rest of us should check our bags" suggests Fred.

The others agree. A few moments later, after making a quick look in inventory, they all return to the kitchen to compare findings., they return to the kitchen to compare their findings.

"It's the same," Fred sumerises in bafflement, "we are all missing at least one shirt, pants, socks, and shoes."

"And don't forget the underwear" Shaggy reminds him.

"Reah!" jokes Scooby, "Rundies!"

Bingo rolls his eyes, "Domestic canines."

"But who in their right fashion mind would take only one days worth of apparel?" asks Daphne.

"Not only that," Velma adds, "but from every one of us and _only_ us."

"In my opinion, it's someone who has extreme fashion issues"

"Daph," Shaggy attempts to make a joke, "to you, everyone has 'fashion issues."

"Very funny, Shaggy" Daphne gives him a mean look.

Shaggy smiles as he stuffs his mouth full of pancake. "But even include underwear?" he says puzzled, "forget some dude with fashion issues, there's a psycho maniac on the loose!"

"Reah, Reah!" agrees Scooby.

"I've never known psycho manics to go after clothings" Bingo tries to reason.

"Like, they're psycho maniacs, hound" Shaggy exclaims, "they can do anything!"

"It does seem weird" agrees Fred.

"See?" point out Shaggy, "what did I tell you?"

"At this point—" replies Velma, "nothing."

Somehow, they managed to settle down and eat their breakfast. Later, the twins take Sarah onto a detailed look at the farm while the others help out with the tasks and other things around the farm. After lunch, Jess takes the gang to view the bar of which their strange caller talked about.

"This is it" Jess says as he pulls the car in front of a small road-side bar.

"Looks quaint" comments Daphne.

"This is nothing" smiles Jess, "Wait till you get inside; it looks like an English tavern."

"Cool!" smiles Fred.

The party spends a few minutes looking around before returning to the farm. They spend the afternoon doing various things. Daphne and Velma spent some time returning to the place where they saw the strange creature the previous day, but with no prevail.

Meanwhile, the children had a busy agenda to finish.

"Are you finished dressing them, Jack?" Jill asks her brother.

"Almost," comes a male voice from a back room, "but do I have to do the girls, too?"

"Jack," Jill rolls her eyes, "it's just like dressing dolls—only larger."

"Dolls are a_ girl's_ toy. I'm a guy—I do _not_ go into that kind of stuff."

"Fine then," sulks his sister, "I'll do it. You just help Sarah finish with the programming. These 'dolls' should be out before Velma and her friends leave for the bar."

"I don't mind," Jack raises his hands, "just as long as I _do not_ have to dress the girls."

Jack turns to a laptop on a desk and sits down next to his cousin.

"You look a little uneasy" he comments.

"I just don't feel right doing this" is the only reply "it seems like one cruel joke."

"Maybe," ponders the boy, "but it may also be the biggest technological invention of the decade."

Time quickly goes by as family and friends have dinner. Shortly after, Jess drops off the gang at the bar.

"Just give me a call when you're ready to be picked up" Jess instructs.

"We'll do that" confirms Fred.

Jess waves good-bye as he drives off.

"I guess we should wait inside" suggests Daphne.

"Like, I'm all for that" agrees Shaggy.

Inside the not very busy bar, the gang admire the fancy, Old-English decor. They sit at a booth just as a tall, dark, muscular young man comes and joins them.

"You guys Mystery Inc.?" he asks in a quivery voice.

"That we are" Fred assures him, introducing his companions.

"I'm Andrew, but folks call me Gomer" the man introduces himself.

"You said you had some information for us" Velma speaks up.

"Yes," the Gomer smiles, "but first, a drink." He calls over a waiter and orders six colas. "You are in for a real treat" he continues, "they have their own recipe and make their own cola. What you have here you will never have anywhere else."

Soon, the waiter returns with six tall glasses filled to the rim with cola. He hands them out giving a wink to Gomer as he places his on the table. Gomer raises his glass to drink, "Drink up" he smiles. The others do so.

"Wow!" exclaims Shaggy, "Like, this _is _good!"

"RmmHmm!" Scooby-Doo barks smacking his lips.

"It has such a delicate flavor" Daphne speaks up.

"And not too sweet" continues Velma.

"I wonder if you can buy cases of this stuff" Fred ponders. He then turns his attention to the purpose of their meeting. "So, what was it you wanted to talk to us about?"

"Quite simply," begins Gomer, "I believe I know where this 'creature' lives"

"Really?" perks up Velma, "Like, jinkies!"

"Yes," continues the man, "only it's not a creature, but an alien."

"Butanalien?" Shaggy looks confused, "What the heck is that?"

Daphne whispers to Fred, "Do you find something strange about this conversation?"

"Forget the conversation," Fred whispers back, "look as Scooby, Shaggy and Velma."

Daphne looks across the table in dismay as all three slouch over with their face in their hands and a dazed look on their face.

"A butanalien, Shaggy" replies Velma, "is the frear endssss of a alien."

"A alien?" parrot confused Fred.

"Velma, your swearing yur wurds" Daphne says concerned.

"No, Daphne" Velma laughs, "I's not ssssslurrring my wierds."

"Is there any alcohol in this stuff?" Fred asks Gomer.

"None at all" replies the other.

"Then what the sssheck is going on?" Fred asks.

"Nothing at all that you should be worried about."

"Then swhy am I sworrying?"

"Pardon?"

"Swhy am I swearing?"

Fred quickly looks a the rest of his friends. Velma, Scooby and Shagyy are already head down on the table showing no signs of life, while Daphne is still hanging on. Fred turns his attention back to the other three, "Oh, ssskit!" he yells out to Gomer, "you've ssskilled 'em!" His attention is turned once again to Daphne's laughing.

"Oh! The happiness!" she cries out before loosing consciousness.

"Daphne!" yells Fred. "Ssstats it, Groomer," he says getting both him and Gomer out of their seats, "We is gooing to fist thisss out." Fred quickly gets ready to throw a punch. However, Fred passed out before he can make contact.

Gomer quickly grabs Fred before he hit the floor and throws him onto his shoulders. He then turns to leave. Before he does so, he turns to some guys a another booth and nods at them. Once Gomer leaves the building with Fred, the others go over to the booth where the rest of the gang is and carry them out to a nearby car.

**A/N: Sorry for the long delays but I have been very busy lately. So, I'll try to update as I have the time.**


	8. Bearer of Bad News

Over at the farm, Thelma is pacing back and forth in the den. "What's taking them so long?" she asks herself. She glances down at her wrist watch. It is nearly mid-night.

"Aren't you coming to bed?" Jess interrupts her thoughts.

"I wouldn't be able to sleep" is the reply.

"There is really no need to worry," Jess assures his wife, "I'm sure Velma and her friends can take care of themselves."

"I know" sighs Thelma, "but, in the past, whenever they stayed out late, something always happens."

"You just go to bed," offers Jess, "if they call, I'll let you know."

Thelma relents and walks off to bed. Jess sits down on the couch and reaches for a magazine.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"I really don't feel right doing this" Sarah says staring at the computer screen in Jill's room.

"It's not as if we are doing anything wrong" Jill comforts her cousin.

"Kidnapping is not 'doing anything _wrong_'?" asks the other.

"Jill!" Jack's voice comes from the other end of the room, "Come here! Quick!"

"What is it?" Jill asks.

"They're gone!" the boy exclaims.

"What are you talking about?" his sister asks.

"They are just _gone_. They are not giving a signal."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning comes to the farmhouse as Thelma comes down to find her husband sleeping on the couch with the magazine over his face. Waking him, she asks eagerly, "Did they call? Or come home?"

Jess shakes his head, "No."

"Something must have happened" Thelma shutters. She goes over to the phone and dials a number.

"Who are you calling?"asks Jess.

"Velma's cell" is the reply. She waits for a while, then hangs up. "No answer."

"Try another phone," Jess suggests, "maybe hers is dead."

Thelma quickly dials another phone number. "Still no answer" she says replacing the receiver.

"That doesn't sound like the gang" Jess says trying to hid the concern in his voice—for his wife's sake.

"Oh, Jess!" Thelma holds her husband, "I'm worried that something has happened to them."

"Listen," he comforts her, "Maybe I can contact Chan Jeong at the police station. Maybe, he can pull some strings to have a search for them." He goes to the phone and dials the number for the local police station. Chief Inspector Jeong answers the phone and Jess gives him a full account of the situation.

"I'll do what I can, Jess" Chan replies.

"Thanks Chan" Jess ends his call. "We can just wait now" he says embracing Thelma.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"I can't believe it!" Jill says in frustration, "How can they just vanish off the face of he earth?!"

"Maybe something has blocked their signal" offers Sarah.

"We are talking about a machine that emits signals more advanced than those used by NASA!"

"It's true" Jack explains to Sarah, "We could send them to Jupiter and get a strong signal without delay."

"Maybe they went further that Jupiter" Sarah tries to joke.

"It could have gotten damaged" Jack suggests, "We are dealing with some very delicate equipment."

"What would they have been doing?" Jill shoots back, "All they had to do was go to the party and hang around with a few friends and talk; nothing physical whatsoever."

"What if they were dancing?" asks Sarah.

"Still, it would not have effected their transmitters" Jack shakes his head.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

It is nearly lunch time when Chief Inspector Jeong comes to call.

"Come in, Chan" Jess greets his friend.

"Thanks, Jess" Chan says taking off his hat.

"Any news?"

"Well," replies Chan, "I have done some preliminary investigating and some people say that they were seen at a party last night."

"A party?" Thelma repeats, puzzled, "But they told us that they were going to a bar down the road."

"What time was this?" Chan asks, pulling out his notebook and pencil.

"I dropped them off there alround ten myself" replies Jess.

"—and they arrived at this party at about the same time."

"That's impossible" Thelma burst out, "are you sure we are talking about the same people?"

"They were especially invited" the inspector explains, "The host was a good friend of your cousin and her friends. Well," he says grabbing his hat, "I better be getting back to work. I'll have someone check about your cousin being in two places at once." He then takes his leave.

"See ya, Chan" Jess waves good-bye.

"What do you make of it?" Thelma asks her husband.

Jess turns his eyes to the distance and replies, "I'd say something is rotten in the state of Australia."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Is there any way of reconecting the signal?" asks Jill fustratedly.

Sarah says wearily, "Jill, we have been doing this all night and morning. I'm tired."

"Can we at least get some rest first?" moans Jack.

Jill colapses onto her bed, "You're right," she says, wiping her eyes, "we can try again later."

The rest of the day, seems to go by pretty quickly. The children woke up in mid afternoon to get some thing to eat just in time for Thelma to get all her whits together. Afterwards, they return to the bedroom and decide to wait until the following morning to continue their search.

Thelma and Jess, still wait patienlty for more news from Chan. After receiving a call from him that there were no further developments arround midnight, they decide to take shifts so one of them could answer further phone calls.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

As the morning sun creaps over the horizon, Sarah awakes to a beeping sound coming from the computers. She instantly awakes her cousins who quickly investigate. They suddenly jumps back in joyous repouse.

"What is it?" Sarah asks her cousins.

"The transmitters are somehow reactivated!" smiles Jill.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet," Jack dampens his sister's spirits, "something is still not right here."

"Huh?"

Jack explains, "If these status reports are correct, I'd say they're dead."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, the front doorbell rings. Jess answers it. "Morning, Chan" he greets the caller, "Anything new?"

Inspector Jeong walks in and removes his hat. "Yes," he replies solomly, "there have been some developments."

"Do tell us" pleas Thelma.

"You better sit down" Chan offers.

The couple puzzledly do so.

"What is it?" asks Jess.

"Have you found Velma?" Thelma asks.

"Yes" is the reply.

"Well? Where is she? How is she?" she bombards the poor inspector with questions, "How about the rest of the gang?"

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of such news," Chan begins his statement, "but as for your cousin and her friends well..." he pauses for a moment to clear his throat trying of how to put is sofly and gently, "...well, they're dead."

**A/N: Well, that didn't take as long as I thought it would. Hope you enjoyed it and the next chapter will be as quick as this one was.**


	9. Cause of Death

Thelma holds her husband tight. She can not believe the words she is hearing.

Jess tries his best to try and not suffocate in his wife's hold.

No one talks for a while. Jess is the first to break the silence, "When? How?"

"We don't know the exact time of death" Chan replies, "The coroner estimate sometime last night. By the looks of it, though, it's homicide."

Thelma sits up straight and stairs with a strange glance in her eyes. "Pam Ferret" she mummers.

"Who?" Chan asks, puzzled.

"A woman Velma and the gang convicted a little more that a year ago" Jess explains.

"Velma became obsessed with the fact that Pam would return and take revenge on her" continues Thelma, "Which is why they were here. The gang thought that Velma could use a rest." Her eyes begin to fill with tears. "And now," she chokes, "it seems that Pam's vengeance has come to pass..."

Jess brings his wife closer to himself to console her.

Chan realizes the situation. "I better go now" he says, grabbing his hat.

Jess nods, "Thanks, Chan."

Once Inspector Jeong shuts the door Thelma looses control of herself. She immediatly bursts into tears soaking Jess' shoulder. Jess does his best to comfort his wife, but he know the only way for her to feel better is to just let it all out.

Thelma's weeping does not go unnoticed, however. Sarah notes it while going to the kitchen for a snack. After grabbing a few crackers, a block of cheese and knife, she quickly—and quietly—runs up the stairs to the bedroom.

"I don't want to do this anymore" she quickly tells her cousins.

Jack and Jill look at her, puzzled.

"Your mother is down in the den crying our eyes out over Velma's death" Sarah explains pointing out the door, "You should at least tell her."

A moment of guilt come over the twins.

"Should we really tell mom what we have done?" Jack asks his sister.

Just as the other is about to answer, a ding comes from Jill's computer indicating an instant message. She quickly goes to answer.

"It's Gomer" she says to her companions. She quickly types, "_Wat's up?_"

"_Im scared :(_" is the quick reply.

"_about what?_"

"_i don't want any trouble_"

Jack quickly takes hold of the situation. Pushing his sister aside, he types, "_Gomer, what is it?_"

"_i didn't do anything rong_" comes the reply, "_i did exactly as you said...nothin else_"

"He seems to think as is he is responsible for the murders" Sarah offers an interpretation of the message.

Jack types, "_What have you heard on the news?_"

Gomer quickly replies, "_that htey have found the bodies out in the bush over in the next region...some rangers found them...magnled bodies...killer is desparatly searched for...you have to believe me when i say htat i have done nothing._"

"The man's hysterical!" exclaims Jill.

"_You mean someone killed them?_" asks Jack.

"_Tha't's that they say_" is the instant reply, "_but i didn't do it!_"

"That would explain the status reports" reasons Sarah.

"Tell him to lay low for now" instructs Jill, "until we know for sure."

Jack quickly does so. After signing off, he sighs, "We are in a load of trouble."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Morning Bill" Inspector Jeong says entering the county morgue.

"Hi, Chan" a voice replies from the back room, "What can I do for you?"

"Well, I'm here to inspect the bodies."

"Ah," Bill Manton, the mortician comes out wiping his hands dry with a white towel, "so you have been put on the case."

"Yes," the inspector replies placing his hand over his stomach, "and I just hope I don't loose my breakfast."

"You need not worry" chuckles the other, "they are not as bad as the news people say."

"Easy for you to say, you deal with this all the time. I rarely ever do this kind of work."

"Become a Chief Inspector and you will" his friend jokes.

Jung gives out a sigh, "Might as well get it done now. Where are they?"

Bill shows the other to a room with five stretchers with corpses are with clean white sheets over them. "I have just finished with them" he explains.

"And?"

Bill lifts three of the sheets to show a blonde man, a brown haired man with some facial hair that looks like a goatee and a red-headed hair woman. Each had been so severely cut an bruised that they barely looked like human beings.

Inspector Jeong swallows hard trying to keep his food down.

Bill introduces the bodies to the inspector. "The first body," he begins, "is Fred Jones, the other man is Norville, otherwise known as 'Shaggy' Rogers, and this lady is Daphne Blake."

"What happened heck to them!"

"Each was shot with 42 calibers beaten" Bill explains, "then their wrists and throat, maybe not in that exact order or about the same time, were slit."

"So, they died of...?" Jeong says, writing down notes.

"Internal injuries and severe loss of blood" is the reply, "The strange thing is what happens afterwards. You see, after they were dead, each body was mercilessly stabbed and—"

"Don't tell me!" Chan pleas.

Bill backs off. He covers up the three and uncovers one with a brown furry creature underneath.

"What is _that_!" Chan yells.

"A dog named Scooby-Doo."

"Where's it's head?"

"It was cut off. He was shot to death."

"Same caliber as the other three?" asks the inspector.

"Yes. And he died first." Bill covers up the dog and reveals the last body. "Is this your friend's cousin."

"She doesn't look as bad as the others."

"You're right" agrees Bill, "However, look at this." He pulls the sheet down below the chest to reveal a huge gash in the middle of it.

"What is it?" Chan asks looking down.

"No heart" is the simple reply.

"What!"

"Yes, like the others, she was beaten but someone cut her heart out."

"Sounds like something you would read on textbooks about an ancient civilizations that demanded human sacrifice" Jeong says.

"It does seem that way" the other agrees. "One more thing, she was the last one."

"You mean she witnessed their deaths" clarifies Chan.

"Yes, before her own."

The inspector shudders, "I'd hate to meet those guys in a dark alley."

"Even with your Tae Kwon Do experience and your father, who is a Grand Master?" asks his friend.

"In that case," Jeong smiles, "then I would feel sorry for those guys!" He reaches over to grab his hat, "I'll be seeing you Bill."

**A/N: Here you go. Please review.**


	10. The Dead Walketh

Gunshots ring out piercing the silence of the jungle night sky. The bushes shake with the figures of four people and a dog run in and out of the mini shelters. They are followed shortly after by a tall female figure holding a large machine gun. "Come out from where ever you are!" she yells out.

Chills go up and down the runner's spines at the sound of the voice. A blonde male wipes the sweat off his brow. His eyes venture onto his companions. Although the moonlight is dim, he can clearly see Scooby-Doo and Shaggy trying to keep from shivering too much that they are noticed under a bush. He then notices the girls, Daphne and Velma, behind neighboring trees. Keeping his cover, Fred hopes that their pursuer can not see him and his friends as clearly as he can.

More shots come as a deadly hail of lead fills the air. The group gets up to run to a new location. Doing so, Shaggy feels a sharp pain in the back of his leg. He reaches down to feel a wet substance on his pants. Bullets have penetrated his calf through the muscle and to the bone, but he keeps on running. However, he does not last long. After dashing several feet, he falls flat on his face. His canine companion lends a helping paw by pulling his back and carrying him to a new hiding place.

Daphne and Velma try their best to make their way through the dark. It is not easy, though, as the jungle floor is covered with rocks and overgrown roots. They run as fast as they can until they suddenly find themselves to have separated.

"Velma?" Daphne murmurs in the darkness, "Where are you?"

"Daphne?" the other calls back.

Their attempt to interact is cut short as their pursuer approaches them in the clearing. They quickly duck back into the safety of the vegetation.

Hours seem to pass as the figures play the ever deadly version of hide-and-seek. Velma suddenly finds herself alone. Yet, she keeps running. Suddenly, her foot gets between a strange fleshy object and the ground. Landing face first on the rugged rocks and roots, she glances back to see what it was. It was a leg, Shaggy's leg. Going close to the body, her stomach turns. There lays Shaggy with his faithful companion next to him. Both had been shot dead. Velma's weary and teary eyes venture a little further and notices in the dark two other figures laying not too far away. She is interrupted by the sound of her pursuer drawing near. Running away, she says good bye to her friends knowing that she would soon be joining them. Her fleeing is cut short by the sudden appearance of a female figure with gun in hand.

"Pam Ferret!" Velma yells at the figure.

"Yes, Velma" the other replies, "You didn't expect to be seeing me again, didn't you?"

"I figured it would have to have been sooner or later."

"I don't know about you, but I am getting a little tired of this game of cat and mouse."

"Then let's end it now!" Velma says, irritated.

"Are you really that eager to die?" Pam raises her eyebrows.

"It doesn't matter. You have already won! I'm the only one left, and I can't run anymore. Heck," she says, she says falling to the ground in exhaustion. Blood, sweat and tears pouring down her cheeks, "I don't even know where I am!"

Pam stands there and laughs. "I'm glad I didn't finish you off back in that hotel room!" she grins, "I have really enjoyed this! But, like all games," her smiles leaves, as she raises her machine gun, "this one must come to an end."

Velma finds herself looking up and into the barrow of the gun.

"Good bye, Velma" Pam smiles once again, "It has been fun making you suffer." With that she pulls the trigger.

The last thing Velma hears is the rat tat tat of the gun and a cry of pain as the metal enters her body, before entering eternal silence.

"Ahhh!" Velma yells, sitting up.

"Velma?" Fred asks next to her, "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry" Velma apologizes, "did I wake you?"

"No," the blonde man answers, stretching, "I couldn't sleep anyway. Kept having the strangest dream."

"Same here" the other yawns.

They are interrupted by the yells and screams of Shaggy and Scooby at their feet.

"Scooby-Doo!" Shaggy calls out, "Where are you?"

"Rover rhere!" replies the Great Dane. He then yelps as if he was in great pain.

"Scooby!" Shaggy yells, "NO!"

"What's going on?" Daphne asks waking up from the yelling.

"Scooby and Shaggy are having a bad dream" replies Velma.

"I better wake them up" Fred says getting out of his sleeping bag.

"Fred?" Daphne says, looking at the purple and green sleeping bag that he was in, "What were you doing in my sleeping bag?"

"Sleeping, I would suppose" is the simple reply. Fred gets down by Shaggy and Scooby and shaking them gently.

"Isn't that Shaggy's your in?" Velma asks pointing to the bag that Daphne is in.

"Ewe!" the red-head exclaims as she quickly squirms out of it, "Disgusting!"

"What is it, man?" Shaggy responds to Fred's efforts to awake him.

"You were yelling" is the Fred's reply.

"I was well within my rights. And so was Scoob."

"Reah!" the canine crosses his arms.

"And you were also well with in my sleeping bag" Velma points out.

Shaggy looks down "How did I get here?" He asks.

"I suppose we can all asks that question" Daphne says.

"Fred, I didn't know you packed the sleeping bags" Velma says.

"I didn't" replies Fred, "I usually leave them in...the Mystery Machine."

"Like, what is the Mystery Machine doing here in Australia?" asks Shaggy looking around.

"Either that," answers Fred, "or we are back home."

"Fred," Daphne quivers, "I don't like this."

"Well, if this _is_ the Mystery Machine," Velma thinks aloud, "Then..." She pulls out a box of Scooby-Snacks and a bottle of Tylenol from a small compartment near the back door.

"Rive me rose" Scooby says grabbing the box. He goes over to Shaggy as they gorge down the whole box.

"What's with the Tylenol?" Daphne asks.

"I usually keep a bottle on here because sometimes seeing those two eat a whole box in one sitting tends to give me a headache" the other replies, "And I have a beaut right now."

Fred suddenly makes a sound of pain as he leans forward and holds his head in his hands. Velma takes a few tablets then passes the bottle to Fred, and then to Daphne as she begins to develop a headache as well.

Daphne goes over to the font seats. "I wonder what's on the news" she says pulling down the view screen and making a few adjustments. "Here we are" she says as the local news station appears.

"_The world is shocked today as the bodies of the famous American detectives, Mystery Incorporated have been discovered in the Australian Outback after a day of absence_" the woman reporter.

"What?!"

The new reports continues, "_The group were visiting in Australian. During which time, they went to a friend's party from which they disappeared. They were discovered by a group of rangers_."

"_It was a scary sight_" one ranger says to the camera, "_It was like something out a horror film. There they were, bloody bodies just lying there_."

The camera then returns to the reporter. "_Reports have confirmed that it has been homicide and their killer or killers will be searched out. Barbara Yadkin, ABC News_."

"Like we're dead!" exclaims Shaggy.

Scooby cries, "Ri ron't rwanna be ra rhost!"

"Maybe, it can't be that bad, Scoob," Shaggy gets a happy, "Like, think of all the pantries we could raid without getting caught!"

"Reah! Reah!" the Great Dane's face suddenly lightens up. He giggles and licks his lips.

"In the mean time," Daphne asks, "what do we do?"

"I would think it best for us to lay low for now" Fred suggests, "If word gets out that we are really okay, then we may _really_ be in danger."

"Shouldn't we at least go to someplace that we know we will be safe?" offers Velma, "I mean, the Mystery Machine is not really that easy to hide."

"Good point" Fred agrees.

"Should we just go back to the farm?" asks Daphne.

"Yes! Please!" Shaggy instantly jumps up, "Like, Scooby and me are hungry."

It is not easy to find their position and find a way back to the farm without being seen. Luckily, they are not far. They hide the Mystery Machine in the brush near the barn.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Over at the house, Thelma has began to control herself. Jess has pulled out the frozen dinners to have for lunch. After lunch, Thelma tries her best to explain the children what had just happened. Surprisingly, they seem to take it pretty lightly. Jess and the children go out to do some chores.

Their entire afternoon becomes full of phone calls and visits from friends expressing their sympathies. Even a few strangers come to call. Jess also spends some time answering questions from the gang's family, which he had avoided earlier in the day.

Once dark comes and all the calls and visits end, Thelma goes outside for a walk outside and to take in all the activities of the day. Around the barn, she notices a figure running. Grabbing a flashlight in the barn, she follows it. Soon cornering the figure, she shines the light into the its face.

"No," she gasps, dropping the flashlight "It can't be!" She quickly turns to run.

"Thelma!" the figure calls reaching out to her, "Wait!"

"Don't touch me!" she yells running. Suddenly, she feels a hand grab her on her arm. She spin around to view the figure again. "It is you!" she says. Thelma suddenly feels light headed. The next thing she knows is darkness covering her as she falls to the ground.


	11. The Explanations

Velma quickly grabs her cousin before she hits the ground.

"Velma?" Shaggy's voice comes out from a few feet away, "Is that you?"

"Over here" the other replies, "Help me."

"Huh?" Shaggy notices Thelma in Velma's arms and understands the situation. Taking Thelma's feet, he and Velma take her to the Mystery Machine.

"What's she doing here?" Fred asks as Thelma is laid onto the van floor.

"Thelma saw me" is the reply.

"And she, like, fainted" Shaggy continues.

"Maybe we should try to wake her up" Daphne suggests.

Velma gently slaps her cousin's face on each side. "Thelma?" she says.

Thelma groggily responds. Seeing the figures above her, she sits straight up. "Oh, help!" she yells, "The dead have come to haunt me!"

"Thelma..." Velma tries to calm down her cousin.

"What do you want?" Thelma asks inching back against the wall.

"Just for you to be sensible!"

Thelma just keeps pushing herself against the wall.

Velma grabs her cousin's hand. "Feel the warmth of my hand" she says, "does a ghost have hands like this?" She then moves Thelma's hand to her wrist. "You feel that?" she asks.

Thelma nods. "Yes," she says, "It's your pulse. Velma..." her eyes began to water. She quickly embraces her cousin. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Aw," Daphne grins to Freddie, "you can tell they are really close."

"The hazards of having cousins so close they are like sisters" jokes Fred.

"What have you been doing?" Thelma asks.

"That's just it," replies Fred, "we don't know."

"Yes," continues Velma, "it appears that we have a whole day we can not account for."

"You have to be kidding!" Thelma says in disbelief.

Shaggy and Scooby raise two fingers. "Like, Scout's Honor" Shaggy says.

"It has been like we were in a coma," Daphne adds, "or a very deep sleep."

"Rand scary reams too!" continues Scooby.

"You mean you had them, too?" asks Daphne.

Shaggy and Scooby nod their heads "yes."

"You mean you had them, too?" Fred asks.

"Is there an echo in here?" the red-head looks confused.

"No," replies Thelma, "theoretically..."

Velma cuts off her cousin, "Don't bother to explain."

"Ah, well" Thelma says getting up, "It doesn't matter now. You guys just gave me a big scare."

"You scared me, too" Velma replies, "For a moment there, I thought you were going to beat me senseless!"

"I know I would never do that to you" the other shoots back, "Dead or alive."

"Even if I looked as if I was going to attack you?"

"Forget it" Thelma turns her attention to the rest of the gang. "Where are you going to stay for the night?"

"We were thinking of camping out here in the van" Fred replies.

"Are you sure you don't want to come to the house?"

"We don't want to 'scare' anyone else" Daphne answers.

"Then again," Fred thinks aloud, "it would be a good place to hide."

"I see what you mean" Thelma nods, "It's best that very few people know that you are really alive."

"But, like, if we aren't dead," Shaggy brings up a scary question, "who are those bodies they found?"

"Reah! Reah!" agrees Scooby-Doo.

"Jess!" Thelma says cheerfully as she and the gang walk in the kitchen through the back door.

"What is it?" her husband says running into the room. He suddenly stops in his tracks at the sight of the gang behind Thelma.

"Jess," Thelma jokes, "you look like you are seeing a ghost."

Jess does not answer.

"Are you surprised to see them?"

"You mean," Jess stutters, "they're real?"

"Of course, they are real!" laughs Thelma.

"But how?"

"That," replies Fred, "we don't know. I guess someone up there likes us."

Bingo quickly runs into the kitchen and starts sniffing the gang.

"What has gotten into you?" Thelma asks Bingo.

Jack and Jill soon run into the room and stand at the doorway. They are followed shortly by Sarah.

"Is it them?" asks Jack.

Bingo turns to them and replies, "Yup."

The children quickly run up and hug Velma.

"We thought it was you" Sarah explains, "We just had to make sure."

"What are you talking about?" Velma says, pushing the children away.

"Do you kids know something that none of us know about?" snaps Thelma.

"Well..." the twins try to distract their mother's attention.

"That's it!" Jess yells, "Everybody into the den—NOW!"

The children swallow hard.

"I can explain everything" Jill says, as she, her brother and Sarah stand in the middle of what they would call 'the council of elders'.

"I would like to hear that explanation" Velma says, crossed.

"It is a long story" Jack says.

"We have time" Fred says.

"It all begins with the phone call" begins Jill.

"The phone call we received the other night?" clarifies Daphne.

The children nod.

"Our plan was to have Gomer spike your drinks so you would be out of the way" Jack continues.

"Like, spike our drinks with what?" demands Shaggy.

"A simple and harmless colorless and tasteless concoction that I developed. It simulates the effects of drunkenness. If used properly."

"If used properly?" his father asks.

"It is really meant to be taken with alcohol and not soda pop" Jill explains, "The idea was to sell to a spy agency for their operations. It can just be added to one drink and takes effect immediately."

"As you have probably noticed," Sarah continues, "if taken with cola, some interesting side effects occur."

"Like, is sleeping a whole day one of them?" asks Shaggy.

Jack nods "yes."

"And strange dreams?"

The children look at each other in confusion.

"What about those people they found?" asks Daphne.

"They aren't just any people" says Sarah, "They are robotic clones—your robotic clones."

The three children get strange looks.

"We took a sample of your DNA, put it into a special machine which we had made to make an exact duplicate of you" Jack says, "The only difference is that they can be either controlled by us via computer or they can think for themselves."

"But they can't be realistic," Fred objects, "even our murders would have noticed the difference."

"No," Jill shakes her head, "they are so sophisticated that it even produces the exact internal tissues. They are literally human robots."

"Like, you kids are freaky" Shaggy shudders as he and Scooby embrace each other.

"One last question:" Jess concludes, "What about this party?"

"Oh," Jill's face turns red, "I'm sorry. I hacked into your computers and saw in your e-mail that this friend of yours, Melbourne O'Reilly, was having a party for his younger brother's birthday, who is a big fan of yours, and he invited you. It was in the same time you would be visiting here."

"We figured that since Melbourne knows you so well, if we could fool him, then these robots would be the greatest technological advance to date" finishes Jill.

"What about the Mystery Machine?" inquires Fred, "How the heck did it get here?"

"I carried it with me on the plane" replies Sarah.

Jill places her arm around her cousin, "Sarah as created a little invention of her own." She holds up a small remote control. "This little device," she says, "has the capacity to shrink or enlarge any object."

"We didn't mean for anyone to get killed!" Jack yells out, "You've got to believe us on that."

Jess looks at his watch. "It's getting late," he says, "we'll talk more about this in the morning."

"And don't you three think that you are not in trouble" warns Thelma, "because you are in enough up to your ears."

**A/N: Well, this is it for the night. I don't know when my next update will be—hopefully soon.**


	12. Poor Chan Jeong

After getting a good night's sleep, everyone meets in the den to discuss the gang's present situation.

"So," Jess begins, "you are just going to lay low and not let anyone know that you are okay?"

"That is what we are hoping to do" replies Fred.

"Shouldn't we at least notify the police?" asks Daphne.

"Who could we trust, though?" Velma replies.

"Well," begins Thelma, "there is Chan."

"He is the Chief Inspector" explains Jess.

The gang look at each other debating whether or not it would be a wise choice.

"Do you know where you can contact him?" Fred breaks the silence.

"Just one moment" smiles Jess. He walks over to the phone and dials a number. "Hi, Chan" he says to the receiver, "Yeah, Chan, listen. I need your help...Yes, it is urgent...Call me crazy but I thing my house is haunted...Yes...No I just want you to look at it and make sure it is something I shouldn't get to upset about...Yea, see ya soon."

"That was a bad joke" Thelma tells off her husband.

"I've been doing them to Chan since we were in high school" laughs Jess, "He expects them now."

A few minutes later, the front doorbell rings. "That should be Chan" smiles Jess, "You all know what to do?"

The children nod.

"Now I know from whom the twins get all their crazy jokes" Daphne smiles to her companions.

"Come on in Chan!" Jess greets his friend.

"This better be good, Jess" Chan says a little annoyed, "I was just about to begin interviewing the party guests."

"Don't worry" the other assures.

"Hey!" Jack yells running from the kitchen, "Who ate all the chips and dip?"

"For get the chips and dip," Jill says, "we don't have any pickled jalapeño peppers left."

"Awe man!" Sarah pouts, "And we were going to have the biggest pepper eating contest ever!"

Just then, Scooby and Shaggy come screaming running form one of the rooms, into the kitchen and grab a glass of water.

"Did you just see that?" Chan asks, eyes wide open.

"No," Jess replies, "but I did hear some yelling."

"Say," Fred says, pointing to the inspector, "who is this guy?"

"By the clothes," replies Velma, "I would call him a detective."

"I wonder who his tailor is..."

Daphne looks over Chan's overcoat. "It isn't exactly Paris," she comments, "but I would still call it good."

"Do you see _these_ guys?" Chan stutters.

"See what?" everyone asks.

"Jess, your worse off than I thought."

"Oh, you mean Mystery Inc?" asks Thelma.

"You mean they're real?!" yells Chan.

"Of coarse we are real" replies Fred.

"And, like, alive, too!" smiles Shaggy as he and Scooby-Doo come from the kitchen.

"This can't be true" Inspector Jeong, "I saw them there—at the morgue—yesterday."

"I think we can explain that" offers Jill.

"It would be nice."

The children then spend the next few minutes filling Chan in on the details of the previous events.

"What are you going to do now?" Jeong asks the gang.

"Like, we were thinking hiding until our murder is, like, found" replies Shaggy.

"I suppose it is the wise thing to do" Chan says rubbing his chin.

"We were talking about going out after dark and do some investigating" add Fred.

Everyone gives him strange looks. "We have experience in sneaking around," he explains, "we can be like ghosts."

"Raiding pantries!" Scooby jumps up and down.

"We can help, too!" Jack speaks up for himself, Jill and Sarah, "Obviously, kids asking questions are just kids asking questions. Nobody will suspect us."

"Well, this is all very good" Chan says, "But where do we begin?"

"I have given much thought to the statement of Shaggy from last night" Sarah offers.

"What did I say?" asks Shaggy.

"You said something about 'scary dreams" is the reply. Sarah pulls out a small stack of papers. "We were monitoring the robot's actions on our computers" she says, laying papers on the coffee table. Pointing to one part, "Here, at eleven twenty-seven is when we stopped receiving signals."

"We are talking about the night they disappeared, right?" clarifies Chan.

"Yes."

"What are you saying?" asks Daphne.

"That there must have been a struggle and the transmitters' programming might have been altered" reasons Jack.

"Transmitters?" asks Velma.

"Yes," replies Jill, "each robot had a small, microscopic transmitter located in their brain."

"But what does this have to do with dreams?" asks Fred.

"I'm going by a theory that identical twins have the capability to communicate through brain waves" continues Sarah, "If that is the case, then you would have been the receiver of the transmissions sent by your robotic clones."

"And our minds would have altered the information slightly to form these dreams" finishes Velma.

"Exactly."

"Then, we should write down all our dreams and compare them for consistency" suggests Daphne.

"All?" asks Jess, "You mean you had more that one?"

"Oh, yeah" the gang replies, "Several."

Everyone quickly does so. After some considerable sifting of details, they come to the the following:

every time, it is Pam Ferret who is chasing them

they are usually in either a jungle, or an abandoned house/shack

Pam sometimes has mystical powers as if she has helpers (who are never seen)

Scooby is always the first to die—usually shot to death

Fred, Daphne and Shaggy are next—no particular order

Velma is always last—usually has a short talk/argument with Pam

"It's amazing!" exclaims Chan, writing in his notebook, "It even matches with the mortician's report."

"I'm, like, really scared now" Shaggy shivers.

"What was the mortician's report, exactly?" asks Fred.

Chan quickly briefs them on his findings.

"Okay," comments Shaggy, "now there is really a psycho maniac on the loose!"

Thelma comes from the kitchen with a plate stacked high with sandwiches.

"Is it lunchtime already?" asks Chan, looking at his watch."

"Apparently so" is the reply. "What have you sleuths found?"

"Plenty" is the answer.

After a quick bite to eat, Inspector Jeong prepares to take his leave. Before he does so, he finishes his notes, "So, what I should be looking for is?"

The others reply:

"Someone who has some relation to Pam Ferret."

"A house or shack in the jungle, or it could also be a forest."

"Right" Jeong says, finishing his not taking, "I'll see what I can do. And don't worry," he winks, "Your secret is safe with me." With that, he picks up his hat and leaves.


	13. Stupid Complications

Gomer sits uneasy at the bar. He looks down at his glass one fifth full of soda pop as he slides it from one hand to the other. He suddenly throws his head back and pours the drink into his mouth, swallowing it hard.

"You look like something's bothering you, Gomer" the bartender says as he wipes a glass dry.

"You don't know the jest of it,"replies the other, playing with the empty glass "I'm an accomplice to murder."

The other man looks at his companion strangely, "Do you really think it is really all _that_ bad?"

Gomer does not answer. He pushes his glass towards the other, "Just fill it" he grunts.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Inspector Jeong looks at his notes. He had just finished talking to all the guests at the party. "Just my luck" he mutters under his breath, "No one knows who took them away. Or what time they left, for that matter!"

His thoughts are interrupted as a man walks up to him. "Are you a cop?" the stranger asks.

"Yes," Chan replies, "is there anything I can do for you?"

"I'm here to confess."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Jess rubs the back of his head as he replaces the receiver and paces back and forth in the den. He turns to the gang. "I can't believe it" he says, "Gomer has just confessed to your murder!"

"He's that guy who we spoke to at the bar, right?" Fred asks.

The others nod.

Thelma gets up and calls up the stairs, "Jack! Jill! Sarah! You three get down here, NOW!"

"Are we in trouble?" Sarah turns to her cousins.

"When mom's like that," replies Jack, "you bet!"

"You wanted us?" Jill asks innocently as she and the other two come to the bottom of the stairs.

Her mother does not have to say much. Only point to the direction and instantly, the children know she means "In the den."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chan looks at the badge and identification a woman in a black suit handed to him. "What is it you are here for, again—" He looks down at the name "er...Agent Stratford?" he asks.

"I am taking over the Mystery Inc. case" the agent replies, in a distinct American accent.

"You know you are a little out of your jurisdiction."

"I have been authorized by your government" the she replies, "They were U.S. citizens and my government shall be responsible for their investigation. So, if you were to kindly give me your file."

"Yes," Chan says, feeling a little defeated, "yes, I'll get it for you." He gets up and pulls a file from his filing cabinate. "There have been no real developments. All I can really say is this case has 'WTF' written all over it."

"I admire a man with a sense of humor" she grins as she looks over the papers. She closes the file. "I understand that someone has confessed to the murders?"

"Yes" the other explains, "However, we have good reason to believe that he is just making it up."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Gomer?" Jack parrots in astonishment.

"I can not believe it!" Jill says, nearly punching her fist into the wall, "I told him to be quiet!"

"What was it that he said, exactly?" asks Sarah, trying to keep her cool.

"Not much" Fred replies, "only that he feels responsible because he told a friend about your little joke."

"And," continues Daphne, "he believes that his friend may have been the murderer, or at least, connected to him."

"He didn't mention _us_, did he?" Jack asks scared.

"No," replies Shaggy, "luckily for you, he didn't."

The three children breath a sigh of relief.

Returning to their rooms, Jack whispers to his companions, "I think we better call in some reinforcements."

"Oh?" chuckles Sarah, "Like whom?"

"She's right," Jill sides with her cousin, "We can not risk Velma and her friends anymore by including others in this."

"Well," the boy replies, "I happen to know Norville Rogers."

"Shaggy's nephew?" asks Sarah.

Jack nods. "And Fred also has a second cousin, Jane."

"And, Daphne's nephew Brian!" Jill snaps her fingers.

"Am I the only insane one among you?!" Sarah exclaims, "Do you realize how much trouble you will get into if you were to bring them here?"

The brother and sister look at each other.

"Not only that:" the other continues, "what possible reason would they have for coming over?"

The twins smile, "We'll think of something."

Sarah rolls her eyes, "Someone, shoot me now! Please!"

"Bang!"

"You have been extremely quiet, Velma" Thelma says.

"I've just been thinking" the other replies.

"About what?" inquires Shaggy.

"I don't know. Just, somehow, I feel responsible for this whole mess."

Everyone looks at her, not knowing what to say or react.

Velma rephrases her statement, "Just right now, I wish I had never gotten you involved in my plans to convict Pam."

"Maybe," Fred tries to reason, "but if we were not involved, you would have died."

Velma smiled, "Doesn't seem a big deal now, since we all already are dead."

Daphne throws a real curve ball, "Yes, but then you would not be able to see everyone's face as we walk around in public for the first time back home."

Velma takes a while to ponder the statement over. "This has to have been the best argument all day" she says in her sarcastic tone.

Everyone else laughs. Scooby comes up to Velma and places his head on her lap. She reaches down and strokes his nose and little whiskers, causing him to giggle.

Their jokes are cut short by a sharp sound of the door bell. Thelma leaves to answer it. She returns later with Chief Inspector Jeong behind her.

He backs off a little and shakes his head. "I still have to get used to the fact that you are still alive" he says.

Scooby runs to him, jumps up and licks his face, "Ri'm ralive rand real!" he barks happily.

"Yes" Jeong chuckles, wiping the drool from his cheek, "Yes, I can definitely tell!"

"What is it, Chan?" asks Jess, "Is there any news?"

"Well," the detective begins, "you know about Gomer and his confession."

The others nod.

Chan rubs the back of his neck. "Ah, I just wanted to let you know that I am off the case."

"What?" asks Thelma, "You mean the case is closed?"

"No" Chan replies, "Only that the FBI has taken over."

"How more complicated can this get?" groans Fred.

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I have been pretty busy. Maybe I will have enough time to do the next chapter in less time.**


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